


When God cats are involved, A story of John and Nepeta

by Vicious_Critter



Category: Homestuck
Genre: 2 endings, A cheesy story about a dork couple, Depession, F/M, Suicidal Thoughts, what more could you need
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2018-02-12 01:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2089860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vicious_Critter/pseuds/Vicious_Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nepeta has an evening stroll when she finds something she has never seen before. John has lost all memory. What will happen?. Rated T for some strong emotionally intense scenes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

Nepeta's forest had just begun to darken for the night. They leaves were drooping ever so slightly to the ground, the tulips and daisies were closing, and even the stream seems to babble quieter than usual as the scorching Alternia sun settled behind the horizon. The great brown owls of the night had just opened their first eyes, and ruffled their wing feathers in preparation for the grand hunting scene of the night. The small rodents made their way to their dens, some still pondering over the way home; these were likely to be the dinner of some more intelligible animals in the forest. The whole scene began to transform as the last rays of the sun glinted out of sight beyond the ocean.

Nepeta looked out her window. It seemed to be that perfect time in the evening again. She walked quietly over to a sleeping Pounce de Leon, and with a quick scratch behind the ears Pounce let out a bellowing purr. Nepeta couldn't stop the widen smile as she lifted her hand off of his soft fur to retrieve her claws. She half walked, half skipped to her secret chasm in the cave where she kept important items. She spotted her bright claws atop a small photo of herself in her grub days. She attached her claws and stole a quick glance at the olive green grub staring back at her with delight. How things were so simple before her wriggling day. Her hands also grabbed her favorite hat lying on the hook by the door. She left through the front door of the hive with a dash, waving a quick good-bye to Pounce. She put on her blue hat with haste as she went down the small red stones that led to forest path.

Nepeta decided that she was in the mood for some ocean delicacies tonight. She pounced to the nearest tree, almost too excited to keep still. She climbed to tree with the utmost of ease. She poked her head above the tops of the leaves, and stared out into the night. No matter how many nights she had seen her forest from this view, the trees, the flowers, the breeze, the ocean... It was utterly breath-taking. Nepeta took a deep inhale and smelled the Tulip pollen, the ocean mist, and the most wonderful smell of all. The smell of fresh prey. Nepeta took a quick glance in the direction of the next tree. She leaped with ample agility and grace.

Nepeta continued along the tree-line until the smell of fresh fish and ocean spray engulfed her nostrils. She scanned the ocean line, deciding where the best catch of the night was, when she spotted a small light speck in the distance. She tilted her a head a little. It was quite possible something had washed ashore, but it was rather large to be anything Nepeta could bring home. Nevertheless, Nepeta landing with a quiet thump on the forest floor and began in the direction of the unknown object. She quickly gained speed, pouncing along the coarse sand with her paws. As the speck grew, Nepeta made out the general shape of the object. It looked rather pink, with a bit of white and black. She slowed her pace a bit, noticing the stars appearing in the sky. She was now only feet from the unidentified thing. She could just make out... two legs, two arms, and a face. She quickly leaped into the forest, her heart pounding against her chest.

Nepeta glanced at the being from behind a rather large tree. It was definitely a body, but it did not look troll-like. She studied the pink skin and the lack of horns. Perhaps they were hidden under the lad's hair? Nepeta had to move closer to check. She was hesitant, for she had never seen this troll before on her turf. She stalked carefully across the sand, feeling every grain as she edged closer. Closer and closer she went making out a white shirt, pants, and shoes. She noticed the funny little boy's hair, it seemed wet and tangled. She wondered if the boy had just recently been swimming and had lost his strength to continue. She finally sat about 3 feet from the boy's head. She assessed the boy's health. He seemed to be breathing, but barely. His clothes were torn in several places, and face was pale and draped with a strand of stay seaweed.

Nepeta inched closer, staring at the boy's wrist. She took it in her hands, pushing her thumb to his vein. Equius had shown her how to take a pulse in case of emergency. She felt his irregular and slow heartbeat. She dropped his wrist. He was alive, but he needed help, he was no threat to her. Nepeta stood up and strode over to the ocean, removing her hat. She scooped up a small hat-full of water in her wadded up hat. She pranced back over to the boy, spilling half of the water. She dumped the water straight on his face, hoping for the best. The boy twitched, and then remained motionless. Nepeta shrugged, and slowly crouched. She put her arms under his miserable ragged body and lifted. The boy was also dangerously frail. She easily threw him over her shoulder. She put her soaking hat back on in one swift movement. With her right hand she held his body in place, and with her right she climbed the closest tree.

Nepeta had some difficulty pouncing from her favorite spot in the trees, at the tops, but she managed to leap all the way to the cobblestones that lead her to her Hive. She dropped out of the tree, landing on one knee. She stood up quickly, and with a quick adjustment to the boy, she raced to her door. Nepeta almost tripped on the stones with worry, the boy was becoming colder. She threw open the door, causing a great smashing sound.

Pounce de Leon sat up quickly, staring at the boy with wide eyes. "I found him on the beach, Pounce. He looks hurt." Nepeta laid down a fluffy towel in the middle of the floor. She carefully laid the wet boy down on the towel. She stood back, taking in the sight of the poor boy. Nepeta didn't know where to start; she was never too good with medicine or mending. She sighed at looked at Pounce. "Keep an eye on him while I get some supplies, kay?" Pounce blinked his eyes slowly. Nepeta winked and ran off to her medicine cabinet. She looked through it frantically, trying to find something that would help. There they were the smelling salts. Nepeta grabbed the bottle and raced back to the boy. She knelled down on the floor and opened the bottle. "Please work..." Nepeta waved the bottle under his nose. Nothing happened. She waited for what seemed like hours before she knew what to do.

Nepeta checked the boy's pulse one last time, the beat was impossible to detect. Nepeta bent over the boy, and scooped him up with her arms. She lifted up his fragile body and propped his head up. Nepeta held her breath and leaned forward. She kissed the boy softly, hoping he had a dream self. She dropped the boy to the ground and stared around the room. "I hope that worked."


	2. John Enters the Fray

John woke with a start on Prospit. Where on Prospit was he? What had happened? He stood up and took a look around, no sign of anyone. He sighed and began to trek along the streets, hoping to find a helpful face. As he continued along the path he couldn't help to think about who he was. All he could remember was his name, a bit of Prospit, and for some reason a grey skinned cat. He stared out across the street, not a soul to be found. "Wait... what's that?" John spotted something just 30 feet from his feet. He raced toward it, it was white as clouds, and very small. He slowed as the thing became only 10 feet away. It was a small white cat, licking its paws. He cocked his head to one side. He didn't remember there ever being a cat on Prospit, but now he didn't remember much at all. He stepped forward.

John suddenly felt a giant wave of fire come upon him. He tried to scream, but could only let out a small cough. He swirled around with great velocity, landing suddenly on the floor of a damp forest. He sat up. Where was Prospit? Where was the strange cat? Where was he now? John didn't know what to think; he only stood up and looked around. There were many trees and owls, but no sign of very intelligent life. Even though he was sure that he now had amnesia, he was also sure he had never been here before. He saw a faint red color on the path in the distance. "Maybe it leads to civilization?" John shrugged and started off toward the small patch of red.

Nepeta had been sitting on the floor next to the dead boy for nearly 10 minutes before she gave up hope. "I suppose he doesn't have one..." Nepeta frowned and stood up. She went over to her window and stared out into the open sky. She watched as the owls swooped to pick up her prey and it made Nepeta remember her rumbling belly. She stared over at the dead boy. She started to get a bit olive green in her eyes. She walked over to him and threw him over her shoulder, as she left quietly out the door. She walked along the path to a place she rarely visited. The graves. She walked into the small clearing and saw the two small tombstones of cats she once had that had tragically lost their lives. Nepeta sniffled a little then began to claw out another hole.

John had been following this unknown red color for a long time. He was beginning to doubt whether it actually was just a spot on his glasses or real. He stopped to wipe his glasses, and as he put them back on the red color continued to exist in the distance. John, with an expression of doubt, trotted toward the color again.

Nepeta finished her grave, and slowly rolled the boy into it. "Here lies a wet, sad, poor boy. I do not know of his name but he seemed nice enough. May he rest in peace." Nepeta let out a small olive tear and pushed the dirt into the hole. She padded the ground smooth and stuck a small stone into the head of the grave. "R.I.P. boy with black hair and elongated teeth" She carved with her claws in the stone. She stared at the grave for a long time. The poor boy probably never knew what she did for him, but it didn't matter now. Nepeta blew the grave a kiss then turned swiftly and began to leap to her house, not wanting to stay so sad.

John saw the red becoming bigger. He knew it wasn't just a mirage. He broke into a run and sprinted for the red. He began to make out the shapes as stones. There was a small red stone pathway! John was almost gleeful as he stepped on the first stone. Paths meant civilization. He raced on, tumbling rocks with his shoes as he went.

Nepeta had come to the edge of the forest; she was just about to leap out onto her red stone path when a boy dressed in gold can sprinting in front of her. "Rawr!" She cried as she pounced on the boy. After all, he was heading straight for her front door. She tussled him to the ground and pinned him. As she stared into his eyes she saw a familiar gaze. This couldn't possibly be the same boy, could it? "Where did you come from?"

John could barely catch his breath. Whoever was this crazy grey skinned, horn-wearing, cat looking girl? "I, I don't honestly know. I mean no harm miss, really!" John struggled under her weight. This cat had some extreme fighting skills! She lightened her weight on his shoulders. "You look familiar, and why are you in Prospit clothes?" John seemed to remember this girl too. "Well... all I can remember is waking up on Prospit, seeing this white cat, then feeling dizzy, then walking through this forest. By the way, you seem familiar too." The girl lifted all the weight off his shoulders, and climbed off of him, brushing off her olive jacket. John stood up too, trying to show no pain even though he was surely bruised. The girl stared at him through squinted eyes. Suddenly they widened like china saucers. "You... you're that boy!" John was confused, what boy?

Nepeta was overcome with shock. Was this really the poor boy she found on the beach? "Do you know where your waking-self is?" the boy shook his head. Hrm... so maybe this was. He seemed so much healthier now it was hard to tell. His hair was combed, his body more fit, and he had the most shiny pair of glasses. "What is your name? My name is Nepeta Leijon!" Nepeta extended an outstretched paw. The boy took it with caution. "My, my name is John Egbert." John, the boy's name was John. She looked John over. There was no doubt in her mind; John was the boy that was washed up along the beach. "Listen, you seem lost. Do you want to stay in my Hive for a bit until you regain your memory?"

John stared blankly at Nepeta. Whatever was a Hive? He nodded slowly, hoping it was some kind of house. "Puuuuuuur ok! I live in the cave over there!" Nepeta pointed to a large rocky brown cave. "Ok. Lead on!" John followed Nepeta up the path toward the entrance of a grand cave. He stopped as she opened the door, smiling at him. "Well, here it is!" Nepeta strode inside, letting out a sliver of light as the door creaked open. John extended his arm and pushed himself inside. The cave was enormous and cozy, the warm walls echoed the sounds around him and a large white cat slept near a corner of the room. "Well... it sure is interesting!" john tried to laugh a happy pleasing laugh, but only managed to make the environment uncomfortable. It was obvious how strange john felt here. "Who is your adorable cat friend Nepeta?" John gestured to the large purring cat. "You mean my Lusus? His name is Pounce De Leon, but I just call him Pounce." Nepeta walked over to Pounce and scuffed his head.

Nepeta found it odd how long John had been staring at Pounce, almost as if a large white cat was something extremely odd. "Hey... what's a Lusus?" Nepeta stared back at him in wide eyes. "You mean you don't have one? That's odd..." Nepeta practically sprang to John. "And where are your horns? And why is your skin pink?" Nepeta tilted her head to one side. "Well... I don't know, actually. I don't remember much about my life. Maybe we are different races or something." John shrugged. "More like different species! I've never seen a troll that doesn't sport a nice pair of horns, or gleam a pale shade of grey." John looked at her horns. "I suppose... So what is a Lusus?" "A Lusus is a troll guardian and custodian, they raise you." She stared at John. "What raised you?"

John thought long and hard about it. "I can't quite remember... the only thing that keeps coming back is an old rabbit." John laughed at this. He couldn't have been raised by a rabbit! Or could he... "Well that's cool, John! Just keep him away from Pounce!" Nepeta smiled and beckoned toward a pile of cushions on the floor. "Care fur a seat. John?" john plopped john on the pile, his legs grateful. Nepeta fell on the pile next to him. "So what do you remember John?" Nepeta stared at the ceiling. "Well... I know my name, a bit about Prospit, a vague memory of a tattered bunny, and for some reason I remembered you before I ran into you tonight." Nepeta suddenly looked a squick scared. "But that's all! I promise!" John attempted a weak smile.


	3. The Cheesy Start of a Beautiful Friendship

Nepeta wondered what to tell John. The whole story of his death? It might help clear things up... but it had been an emotional time for Nepeta, and she would have to explain all the details to this boy. She decided to let the story wait for another time. She shrugged slightly. "Well John, it's not much." She sat up. "What are you going to do? I mean, you don't remember where your hive is or your friends, or anything!" she stared at John as he also sat up. "I suppose it wouldn't be too much of a bother to let you stay here if you like." she turned the slightest shade of olive and smiled. John stared blankly back.

Stay here? Was she barking mad? John knew that he had a home somewhere; he couldn't just take up residence in a "hive" with a strange white jaguar and a horned "troll". But then again... Nepeta was a very nice troll. "Well... I don't want to inconvenience you in any way Nepeta." Nepeta frowned and shook her head. "Not at all, you'd be fine staying here!" John smiled. "Well... I will stay then, and try to be as helpful as I can!" John stood up and smiled. "What needs fixing?" Nepeta laughed. "Oh relax John... first we need to catch some supper!" "Catch?" John lost his smile. "What do you mean Nepeta..."

"oh you know what I mean! We have to go hunting!" Nepeta raced out of the pile and re-attached her claws. "I don't suppose you have a pair of these do you?" She twiddled them in front of her eyes. "Brilliant they are!" John stared at her claws, his eyes widening and he edged away slowly. "I suppose you don't..." She sighed. "We'll have you at least hunted before?" "No... if I did I can't remember." John's eyes never left Nepeta' claws. "Well in order to live here one must be able to hunt, that's how the pantry is stocked for rainy days." "Oh. Well I guess I will have to learn." john smiled. "so... what kind of animals live around here that you eat?" Nepeta looked up. "Well there are squirrels, rabbits, songbirds, owls, a few turkeys, crabs and shellfish, and a few badgers. I usually go for rodents but whatever floats your boat!" She laughed and flexed her claws.

John couldn't pry his eyes away from the claws. They were long and sharp. "Well... I don't remember anything about what I liked, but I don't want to eat rabbits for some reason, they are precious to me." He finally managed to stare at his feet. "So whatever you want to hunt. I, I think I'm too tired to learn anything tonight Nepeta, I'm sorry." John looked up at Nepeta, hoping she would be ok with it. "Well... ok, for one night only." she smiled at him. "I'll be back in about half an hour John, feel free to wander around or get to know Pounce." She pulled her hat over her head and opened the door. "See you in a bit!" She called over her shoulder as she pounced away. John sat still, staring around the room until he could no longer hear her footsteps padding away atop the stones. "How are you Pounce?" Pounce sat up and began to rub on John's leg.

Nepeta pounced down the path, hardly containing her excitement to sink her teeth into a succulent crab. She pounced from tree to tree grinning wide. She stopped suddenly, her eyes opening wide. "Equius..." She never made such huge decisions without consulting her morail. She couldn't make the boy leave now, she welcomed him into her home. Equius would never approve of this. After a quick thought she came to a decision. "I will get John some food and tell Equius in the morning, that way John can at least stay one night." She hardener her gaze, and commenced pouncing from tree to tree. Her stomach growled with anticipation, anxiously awaiting the food. Nepeta spied the beach, this time without a small something or rather washed up on the shore. She grinned once more and leaped to the ground in search of some ocean delicacies.

John had been petting Pounce for about 15 minutes. "You're a good kitty aren't you Pounce?" "PUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuurrr" John laughed then lay down. When was Nepeta coming back? He stared at the ceiling. Nepeta seemed nice; after all she did take him in and was currently bringing him food. John thought about her, he did remember her vaguely. She was carrying him, he thought, and he was in this very cave, dying. She had done all she could to save him when suddenly it seemed as if the end was inevitable... "Hi!" Nepeta was back, she was swinging her soaked hat in her hands, small crab legs jutting out from it. "Dinner is here! I got home early; they were all too trusting of predators tonight." She slung the hat on a counter-top. "Want to help cook them, John?" She took the first one out, and examined it carefully. "Do you eat crabs?" "Yeah... I think I remember those." John stood up and went to the counter. "Here, you get a pot out of the drawer over there and get some water from the falls." She continued to check each crab.

Nepeta finished checking every crab; every one of them was alive and edible. "Have you got it yet John?" Nepeta turned her head toward the pot cabinet. John held a pot in his hands, staring around the hive with a blank expression on his face. "hey... hey Nepeta? What falls?" Nepeta threw her hand to her head. "I forgot to show you around the hive!" Nepeta tied up the crabs with an increasing swiftness. "Come on!" She grabbed his hand and led him down a corridor. A smile spread across her face, she never had never given a tour of her hive before. She stopped at the opening to her Respiteblock. "This is where I sleep; I'll set up a spot for you after dinner!" She let John stare into the room for a few seconds before becoming too excited to stand still and races with him still holding hands to another opening. "This is the wash room; in here is the source of water!" She gestured toward the falls. "All natural water, clean as a porcelain teapot!"

John suddenly felt the pot on his free hand grow heavy. "Oh, ok Nepeta, hang on I'll go get some." He let go of her grip and walked with awe toward the falls. They glistened with the moonlit from the windows. He stood about three feet from it, already feeling the slight spray of cool water on his skin. He held out the pot and the water came crashing into it, spraying everywhere. "Arrrrg!" He turned around, pot in hand. "Was that the way to do that Nepeta, because that didn't work out too well!" He stared down at his soaked golden clothes. At least the pot was half-way full. "Hehe not exactly, John. Let me show you!" She leaped to him and held his hands together on the pot. "Now we just tilt it like this..." She led him to the falls, the pot tilted away from them. "Wait, Nepeta... we're going to get soa-" Suddenly the water hit the pot, making their hands droop. The water started to spray toward them, but then it hit the opposite end of the pot, ricocheting it back into the falls. "Wow. cool." was all John could muster up.

Nepeta smiled at John. John smiled weakly back. She then pulled back the pot, once again half-way full. "See? It's easy!" She laughed. John showed a bit of embarrassment. "It's ok John, I've lived here a lot longer than you." She let go of his hands and pranced back to the corridor. "Come on back to the kitchen, we need to get those crabs eaten before they crawl out of here!" She watched as John carefully walked back to her. John and Nepeta walked back to her kitchen. "Well... that's my entire hive!" She looked up, trying to remember if she left anything out. "Well thank you for showing me around Nepeta." John smiled at her as he continued down the corridor a tad gracelessly.


	4. John Learns a Thing or Two

When John finally reached the kitchen once more, he was glad to put the large pot on the stove. He looked around. "Hey Nepeta, do you happen to have a towel handy?" Nepeta laughed and reached into a basket in the corner of the room. "Of course, it is very helpful to have fresh towels around." She handed him the towel and untied the crabs. John tried hastily to dry himself. "Those falls sure are quick! I got soaked in only a matter of seconds!" John was no longer dripping, so he declared himself good enough and went over to help with dinner.

After dinner Nepeta had started cleaning up when she noticed John was yawning. "You will need a ned outfit for sleep won't you?" John looked down at his still damp prospit wear, and looked up, nodding. "Hm..." Nepeta bounded to her wardrobe, 90% of it filled with her usual get-up consisting of her black shirt and jeans, not to mention a few spare olive jackets. Then she spied them, and pair of olive pajamas. She snatched them up and returned to John. "I prefer to sleep in my regular clothes, but I always keep a back-up pair of pajamas." she extended her arm. John looked at them, and grasped them with a smile. "Thanks Nepeta." She smiled back, turning around to finish up her cleaning. She heard John scamper off down the corridor. She continued scooping up the spiky crab shells and she heard the pattering of John's feet returning. "I'm back, they fit fine, thank you. Where should I hang these to dry?" She looked around briefly. "Just put them anywhere you find fit, I'll let Pounce know no to play with them." "Can I put them on this shelf? You do seem to like things clean." Nepeta suddenly noticed how quickly she was cleaning. "I usually don't care about keeping my hive so puurestine, but seeing as I have a guest..." she finished cleaning up the last bit of crab shell and watched John hang his clothes on a shelf. "I feel obligated to keep it looking okay." John gave a small laugh. "It really doesn't matter to me, I'm not really one to be judging."

John walked over to Nepeta and hugged her. "Thank you for taking me in Nepeta." Nepeta hugged him back, even if she was a bit hesitant. "About that John..." She looked down. "What is it Nepeta, is something wrong?" Nepeta walked over her pile of cushions and sat on it with a soft plop. "Come over here John." John suddenly felt a squick of a scare. What was wrong? He walked over to the pile and sat carefully next to Nepeta. "Tell me, it's ok." "Well... it's my morail." John stared back, racking his brain for what that word meant. He turned up nothing. "I'm sorry Nepeta, I seem to forgotten what that is." "Well... It's sort of like your best friend or better half, you two like to cheer the other up when they're down." John began to understand. "Ok, so what is wrong with yours?" "Well... nothing yet, it's just that he is rather protective of me, and he would not approve of you being here with me." She looked up at him, sorrow overcoming her face. "Well... he hasn't met me yet, and besides, you don't have to do what he says!" "Well... I find that I can't say no to him, he is only looking out for the best for me, he isn't mean. He's my morail"

John just didn't understand! Nepeta searched for the right way to put this. John brightened up "Let's just wait until tomorrow to tell him, and then we'll go from there." John smiled at her. "I was thinking that too." "Well then, let's do that!" John stood up and extended a hand to Nepeta. Nepeta held his hand and stood up. "Thanks for taking the news so well John." "Sure!" Nepeta grinned at John. He was a good friend. "Last one to bed is a runt!: She cried, pouncing down the corridor. "Hey! Wait up!" John grinned as he stumbled after her. Nepeta pounced into the Respiteblock. "Hehehe! Me first!" She laughed as John entered the room. "Oh no! I lost!" John laughed. "Guess I really do need those hunting lessons huh?" "Sure do! But for now lets get some sleep. You can sleep in the Recuperacoon, I'll just sleep on one of these lovely furs!" John stared at the smile bed. "Um... What is that exactly?" "It's my Recuperacoon! Its fine, these furs really are just as comfy. "I... I think I'll sleep on the furs." "No no I insist!" John stared uncomfortably at the bed. Nepeta guessed he didn't have one back at his hive for some reason, and wasn't used to it. "ok, but only if you feel comfortable!" John sat on a large fur and felt the hair. "It's perfectly fine to sleep on, thanks Nepeta." "Ok! I'll just turn off the lights and we'll get some rest!" Nepeta turned off the lights and climbed into the Recuperacoon.

John was very confused, he was sure he had never slept or even seen a Recuperacoon before. He laid on the fur and stared at the dark ceiling. "Sleep well Nepeta!" "You too John!" John smiled. He liked it here, whatever the circumstances were. John wondered about his past. Who was he? Even though he had lost many of his memories he still thought this land was alien to him. Everything was strange here, especially Nepeta. He did have a vague remembrance of her though before he came back from Prospit. He remembered her strange orange eyes. He was not whatever she was, that was for sure. But just what was he? He just couldn't remember. She was very helpful to him that was for sure. She was a very nice girl, even if she was especially naïve.

Nepeta climbed in the Recuperacoon and snuggled into the Sopor Slime and closed her eyes. She couldn't sleep just yet, her mind was racing. Would Equius let John stay? She couldn't let him leave now, after everything she went through... after she welcomed him in. John could be a bit empty-headed at times, but his intentions were good. He was nice to her, and that's all she cared about. Nepeta heard John's breathing slow. He's asleep already. Nepeta curled up tighter, and with a long sigh she drifted off to derse.


	5. Learning Some More

John woke with a start; he was having an awful dream with a strange black man in a dapper suit in it. The man was mad and he had a knife. John thankfully woke before anything else happened. He sat up quickly, his hand on his head. Where was he? He stared about the room. Suddenly seeing the strange slime bed jogged his broken memory. "Oh yeah, Nepeta!" he whispered as he stretched. The fur was rather comfy, but he still managed to step on the cool cave floor and stand up. He walked reluctantly to the strange slime bed, wary of its effects. "Ne, Nepeta?" His voice quivering slightly. He heard a faint meowing inside. "Hey Nepeta, it's time to wake up!" "Puuuuuuurrrr" John tilted his head slightly. Was she transformed into a cat when she went in there? "Hey... um..." John didn't know what to do. Suddenly Pounce waltzed through the door, two grand smiles on his face. Pounce paused in front of John and nodded. John could only nod back, hoping that was enough. Pounce then pounced to the top of the slime bed. "Meow Meow Mew Puur Purr Rar Mew Meow!"

Nepeta heard the familiar sound of her Lusus waking her. "Ok, ok Pounce, I'm up!" Nepeta sat up and stared at Pounce. "Mew Meow Puuuuuur!" "Good morning to you too!" She stood up, looking at her Sopor Slime-covered clothes. Pounce disappeared from view and returned quickly with a new outfit in his jaws. "Thanks" she muttered, changing quickly. She suddenly became aware of someone breathing quickly. "Hey... um Nepeta are you ok in there?" She forgot about John! "Of course John! I'll be out in a flash!" She pulled her grey gloves on and hopped out of the Recuperacoon and faced a petrified John. "Er... sorry John, I have trouble waking up without Pounce." Pounce leapt beside her. Nepeta scratched his ear. "Do, do you speak cat?"

John wasn't sure if that was how to put it. "Well, I suppose so, but I really only speak with Pounce though." John gradually accepted this. "Ok, cute!" Nepeta laughed a little. "It's just routine. Come on, your hunting lessons start today!" John widened his eyes. He was nervous about this day. "What about your morail?" Nepeta frowned. "He can sit tight for a bit, if you are going to be cast away you should at least know the basics. Come on!" John's smile faltered slightly. What if this was the last time he was allowed to see Nepeta? He didn't want that to happen. "Ok. What do I need some claws or something?" "Oh yessss!" Nepeta ran over to her closet, opening a drawer. "I always keep a spare set! Here try them on!" Nepeta held the gloves out to him. John pulled on the grey gloves, a tad confused. "How am I supposed to work these again?" Nepeta grinned. "Just spread your fingers out quickly!" John did just that and the claws sprang out, making John gasp. "Don't worry, John! You control them after all!" John tried to relax and stared at his claws. They were very sharp. He quickly moved his fingers back together, the claws sprang back.

Nepeta led John into the front part of her house. "Let's see here... yep! Your Prospit clothes are dry! But they are awfully bright, "you'll need something darker..." Nepeta looked at John's olive pajamas. "Well... if you don't mind I think these will do!" Nepeta's eyes dashed to her Respiteblock. "You'll need a jacket though, it gets rather chilly at times." Nepeta raced into her room and threw open her wardrobe. She looked around the cavity, hoping she would find it... when her eyes lay upon it. Her special jacket. She took out the midnight black jacket, looking it over. She always liked olive better, but she always kept a black one in case of a sudden wardrobe change. Nepeta held it carefully as she sprang back down the corridor. She found John in the same spot she left him, and showed him the jacket. "Here! I hope it fits!" She held out the jacket at arm's length.

John gratefully took the dark jacket and slid it on. "It fits perfectly, Nepeta. Thanks!" John spread his fingers out again, releasing the claws. "This is pretty cool!" Nepeta grinned at him. "Let's go!" She ran to the door and thrust it open. "Bye Pounce, see you soon!" "Bye Pounce!" Pounce De Leon purred and curled up on the floor. John ran out the door and closed it quickly behind him. "Hm... Let's start with small rodents!" John had a queasy thought. The idea of eating rodents didn't appeal to him. Oh well... better than nothing if I get thrown out. John followed Nepeta to a nearby large tree. "Come on!" Nepeta leaped up to the top of the tree in 3 single bounds. John couldn't help keeping his jaw closed. "How did you do that?" "Just hug the tree with your arms and kick with your legs!" John put the best determined face on, and approached the tree. He felt the tree's bark, it was very cracked. He carefully grasped the tree and lifted his shoes to a large crack in the bark. "That's right! Now leap!" John crouched and leaped with all his strength. He reached a low branch. "Nice! Now you may climb up the rest of the way." John sighed with relief as he climbed up to where Nepeta sat.

Nepeta patted John on the back. "Not bad for a first try!" John smiled up at her. "Now we leap from tree to tree looking for some small prey!" John suddenly had a look of horror on his face. Nepeta's grin faltered. "Well... Just watch me for a bit, and then you can try!" Nepeta stared out into the trees, looking for the closest one. The tree to the east was almost touching theirs. "Ok, now watch me carefully." Nepeta sprang up, crouching low. She crawled to the edge of a branch and judged the distance to the next branch. "I'd say about four feet will do..." She readied her legs and pounced off the branch; send it flying back to John. "Ow." Nepeta finished landing and looked back at John. He had a hand on his arm. "Oh no! Did I hurt you?" "No, not really. I should have been paying more attention anyway. Can you do that again?" Nepeta hardened her gaze. "Sure." She once again readied herself and pounced back, leaving the swaying branch behind her. "Want to try yet?"

John stared back at her. He most certainly did not. "Uhh... is there any other way to hunt?" "Well... none as efficient as this!" John frowned as he looked at the other tree, it's branches still swaying slightly. "Erm..." Nepeta looked at the other tree. "Well... I suppose we could practice on the ground first if you're really that scared..." John stiffened. "I'm not scared! Stand back!" John tried not to look down as he crawled sloppily on the branch. "That's good, but what you really need is something to balance with... like a tail!" John rolled his eyes. "Well I don't have one Nepeta..." "I know that! Here, try this branch!" He heard her snapping off a branch behind him. "I'm not wearing a branch Nepeta!" "But it will help! Here..." She took out a bit of twine from her jacket pocket and tied the branch on his shoulders. "oh." was all John could say. "Now just move your shoulders left and right to balance!" John tested it out by moving his left shoulder up. He felt himself leaning to the right. "Cool... um thanks." He continued down the branch, this time with much more grace. He lowered his body just as Nepeta did. "Now pounce with your arms extended, you will need to grab the nest branch quickly!" John steadied himself and leaped.

Nepeta watched as the poor boy jumped a measly two feet and grasped a drooping branch. "JOHN!" She crawled quickly to the end of the branch and peered down at him. "Help!" John was struggling to keep a grip on the branch as he slid farther downward... "Wait! Hold on!" Nepeta breathed quickly as she bounded down the tree in only 2 leaps. She turned around just in time to see John's left hand let go. "Wait!" Nepeta pounced under John and retracted her claws. "here! Put your feet on my paws!" She held her paws up and John carefully stepped on them. "I'm going to push up in 1, 2 3!" She pushed up and John adjusted his grip and swings his leg over the branch. "now get closer to the branch before it snaps!" John edged to the trunk, eventually hugging it. "What did I do wrong, Nepeta?" John had a horrible look of fear on his face. Nepeta climbed the tree and sat next to him. "I think you just need stronger legs John."

John looked down. He was weaker than a silly cat girl. He couldn't believe it. "What can I do?" Nepeta put an arm around him. "Just keep pouncing, be it on the ground or in the air!" "John returned his gaze downward. "Ok Nepeta." Nepeta hugged him. "It will be ok, I puuuromise!" John found himself hugging her back. "Really?" "Yeah! When I was 4 solar sweeps old I still needed Pounce to catch my food!" Solar sweeps? He tried to make it sound like he knew what it was. "ok, thanks Nepeta. I'll try hard." John let go of Nepeta. "Let's go home, Nepeta." "home? You mean my Hive?" "yes, if that is what your cave is called. "yep, that's what it is!" John carefully climbed down, determined to not look like a fool once more. When he felt the ground beneath his shoes he looked up to see Nepeta right behind him. He held out a hand to Nepeta. "Hehe! I can get down with ease silly!" John suddenly saw Nepeta crouching in the tree. "wait what are you-" He suddenly felt the weight of a hundred pounds on his chest as Nepeta pounced on him. He fell to the soft soil with a muffled thud. "Hehe! Got ya!" She climbed off him and lent him a hand. John couldn't help a smile break across his face as he accepted her hand and stood up, brushing off his jacket. This girl could take care of herself.


	6. Dear God the Fluff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some real cheesy fluff. enjoy

Nepeta trotted back with John back to her hive. Equius or not, this day had been fun! She opened the door and let John in. "Well... I hope the fun doesn't end here, but I have to contact Equius now." John stared at her funny. "And... um sorry but who is Equius?" Nepeta leaned back a bit. "I never told you? He's my morail!" "Oh... ok." Nepeta went over to her computer and sat down. She opened up pesterchum. "Have a seat John, this could take a while." John turned around and sat on the pile of cushions next to Pounce. He began to scratch Pounce's head. "Good. Now the hoping begins." Nepeta clicked on centaursTesticle and took a deep breath. She messaged Equius.

John watched as Nepeta began typing away at Equius. She seemed a bit flustered as the chat continued. She began to hiss at one point. John could only watch as Nepeta became more and more agitated. Finally he could see olive tears streaming down her face. He didn't know how to comfort her. After an astonishing 10 minutes later Nepeta closed up pesterchum and slammed her laptop closed. She spun her chair around slowly, her hair down in front of her eyes. John frowned, knowing the answer. Nepeta suddenly burst into sobs. "Hey! It will be alright! I'll still be able to see you!" John got up quickly and put an arm around Nepeta. "But, but you don't know the horrible names he called you! How he hates this! And you don't seem to be too well adapted to the forest yet!" John had to agree with that last part. He wasn't sure how he was ever going to cope. "Listen... I can make it on my own!" "I know you can't John. We both know." Nepeta dared a glance a John through her tears. "I just don't know what to do!" John wiped away Nepeta's tears. "Listen... where is Equius located?" "Well... I suppose he is a long way off. He rarely visits, I mostly visit him." "Well... how would he know?" "Know what?" Nepeta stared at John's microscopic smile. "That I'm still here." "But... he said you had to leave!" "You and I both know I'm no harm to you! Why not let me stay and let Equius be blind?"

Nepeta's tears stopped with surprising speed. "Um... well I guess that might work... but that would be disloyal to my morail!" "He is only doing this to keep you safe right?" "yes" "and I can only help protect you more right?" "Right." "Then really... you are being very loyal to your morail's wishes!" Nepeta thought about this. It still didn't seem right. "Are you sure? If Equius ever found out he would probably stop being my..." Nepeta's tears came around again. "Hey! I could just say it was all my idea! After all, it was..." "But he would take out his wrath on you!" "As long as you are ok, it doesn't matter!" He really was never going to harm her, he wanted only to protect. "It won't be pleasant... but let's hope that never has to happen!" John helped Nepeta out of her chair and hugged her. "I promise everything will work out." "Thank you John." She had a nagging doubt in her mind about all of this, but she pushed it aside. He needed to hope everything would turn out ok. She would make sure everything turned out ok.

John let go of Nepeta and turned around. "I'm sorry if I sound helpless Nepeta, I just didn't want to leave you." "I understand John. Anyway, I know you still need help. Speaking of which..." Nepeta checked her clock. "It's about lunch time! Lunch is the meal that I eat from gathering plants and mushrooms! That is pretty easy John!" Nepeta smiled at John. "Let's go." Nepeta nodded and they raced out the door after petting Pounce. John was glad to be rid of all that tension. They slowed their pace down as they neared a field. "This is the absolute puuurfect field to gather in!" Nepeta removed her hat and began investigating all the various herbs. "Come here! Here is the supply of Catnip!" Nepeta dragged John to the ground and showed him the bushel of catnip. "hehe! Does Pounce like it?" "yep! me too!" And with that Nepeta began rolling playfully in the patch of the mint.

Nepeta and John had soon filled the hat with vegetables, mushrooms, spices, and a few fruits from the nearby trees. They were on their way back when Nepeta passed the hat to John. "here! You carry it! After all you picked most of them!" She let go of the corners as John took it from her. "You know you are very good with gathering, John!" John blushed a faded red. "Thank you Nepeta, but it was you who really did most of the brain work, I only picked the plants you said were good." "But you pointed out that one of the plants was rotten! I didn't know that they could get completely rotten this early in the season!" John sighed then smiled at Nepeta. Nepeta smiled back at him as they neared the familiar red stones. Nepeta tagged John's shoulder and raced up the path to the door only to have John tie with her at the entrance. "You're getting fast John! We need more pouncing lessons!"

"Already?" John watched as Nepeta opened the door and swung it wide open. John walked in and put Nepeta's hat on the counter. "Yep! Best to keep on practicing!" Nepeta went over to her hat and began taking out each plant and inspecting it. "You sure like to be thorough in your food!" "I do. I would hate to get poisoned or sick!" John walked over to her pots and pans drawer. "Hey how to you want these prepared?" "Prepared?" John looked over at Nepeta who was busy munching on some raw broccoli. "You don't cook any of these vegetables?" "Nope!" So that was why Nepeta needed the plants so spotless. "Hey, have you ever tried cooking them?" "Nope!" John looked at Nepeta and the frying pan and smiled. "Don't eat the food yet, let me show you something." John got out the pan and lit the stove.

Nepeta watched as all the delicious herbs and spices passed under her nose as John continued to add more vegetables to what he called the "stir fry." "Hey you can make what you want with the fruit while I finish this up!" And with that John began stirring in some garlic. Nepeta took the fruit and held it up to her eye level. How can I make something from this, it's already made! Nepeta set it back down. She extended her claws and stared at them. I guess this will be enough. She struck out with them and cut the fruit into five clean slices. And with a satisfying humpf she continued to slice up all four fruits. "The veggies are done now!' "So is the fruit. Let's eat!" Nepeta and John sat down, plates full with steaming vegetables and sweet fruit. Nepeta sniffed the strange bit of veggies then took a big gulp.

"Wow! These are good John!" John ate his stir-fry as Nepeta eagerly finished her meal in big gulps. "Thanks! So glad I could help you discover stir-fry!" John grinned and with one last bite her got up with his empty plate. "Wait a minute John... you remembered something else! Maybe your memory is slowly coming back!" John stopped a minute. She's right... maybe I really will get my memory back! John gave a hopeful gaze to Nepeta before walking down the corridor to the wash room. By the time he had reached the archway Nepeta had joined him. They walked over to the waterfall and held out their plates to the oncoming water. John's hands fell but his grip remained as the plate remained under the powerful force of the water. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw some a flash of white. "Wha-" But before he knew it he was hit with a it splash of water. "Hey!" Nepeta turned the plate away from him. John smiled and with a playful laugh he turned his plate to Nepeta. "Hey!" Nepeta laughed too as she pointed her plate at John.


	7. Flashback

Nepeta and John were very wet when they eventually returned to the living room. "John, you dummy! Now we're all wet!" "It was your idea missy!" Nepeta stuck out her tongue at John and laughed. "hehe look at Pounce!" Pounce was giving them a puzzling look. He slumped back on the floor with a hiss of slight disdain. "Hehe silly kitty!" Nepeta looked at her clothes. "Wow they really are drenched aren't they?" "Yep. That waterfall sure is powerful! But how are we going to get dry?" Nepeta looked at a basket in the corner of the room. "Oh yeah, towels! You always have plenty around!" John started toward the basket. "Well yes, but it is the boring way." "Huh?" Nepeta smiled. She tagged John on the shoulder and sped out the door. She glanced back to see John rolling his eyes and sighing. "I see..." Nepeta frowned. Was she being grubbish? But she looked up from his fallen gaze to see a laughing John closing the door behind him as he ran toward her.

John and Nepeta ran about the forest for what seemed like hours. John was ready to collapse but he kept on running despite his weakness, he was having too much fun. They had reached a beach when Nepeta finally stopped in her tracks. John almost stumbled face-first into the sand before steadying himself. Nepeta's eyes had widened and her smile had vanished. John walked up beside her. "hey, what's wrong?" Nepeta dared a glance at John, then back to the spot on the beach she was staring at before. John took her hand. "Hey, Nepeta what's wrong?" Nepeta opened her mouth to speak, but soon shut it. John wondered in vain what was wrong.

Nepeta had mistakenly come to the same beach. The one where she found John. Could she tell him? Was now the time? She looked at John, unsure of what to say. "Hey, please tell me!" "I, I uh need to tell you something, John." Nepeta walked John over to the spot where she found him lying unconscious. "Did you wonder why you were in prospit clothes when you came here?" John had a thoughtful gaze on his face. "Well, no. I guess I just assumed I somehow got severed from my waking self, and therefore lost my memory of my life." Nepeta pointed in the sand. "I found you at this beach, unconscious. You were in regular looking clothes."

John tried to wrap his brain around what Nepeta had told him. He had washed up on this beach? But thinking back... he did have a very vague feeling of familiarity at this beach. "Did you try to save me?" "Yes, I did. I assessed your status here, then i brought you back to the hive... and that's where you..." Nepeta's eyes began blinking quickly. The gears in John's head turned quickly. He had been here and been in critical condition. He was in prospit clothes. He had died and Nepeta had brought him back to life. "Nepeta, I-" But Nepeta had put her head in her hands. "John you didn't see your face, your life-less body..." She couldn't hold it in any longer and John rushed to her as olive tears started streaming down her face.

Nepeta couldn't believe how easily she fell apart. John hugged her, telling her he was ok now and to forget about it. Suddenly Nepeta knew what to do. She stiled her tears long enough to take John's hand and rush to the forest. "Hey, wait! Stop!" John was trailing behind so Nepeta continued on. As John continued his exclamations Nepeta saw the clearing in the distance. She turned to him. "Shhhhh!" John stopped yelling and stared at her. She gestured to the clearing just up ahead. Together they walked to the gravesite. Nepeta stopped at the edge and let go of John's hand. John looked at the graves with his mouth open. Nepeta pointed to the one on the far right.

John followed Nepeta's finger to the grave on the far right. He walked over to it, crouching low to read the inscription. "R.I.P. boy with black hair and elongated teeth" John frowned. He was right in front of his own grave. "Oh Nepeta..." He turned around to see Nepeta wrapping her arms around herself. "Thank you Nepeta." "You're welcome John." John hugged her. "I'm so sorry... I-" "hush, it wasn't your fault and you know it." "Let's go home now, thanks for the run." John let out a weak smile. Nepeta returned it. They travelled through the dark woods silently, the only sounds they could hear was the murmur of forest animals, the distance waves, and the sound of the other's breath.

Nepeta and John walked through the front door, no longer wet in the least. Pounce looked happy to see them and, seeing their melancholy faces, tried his best to cheer them up with his puuuuurs and smiles. Nepeta, however, was not so easily swung. Even though John was very helpful and non-chalant about the situation, Nepeta knew he had been shaken by seeing his own grave. Probably like most trolls. But what was John? He didn't have grey skin, or orange eyes, or horns. She had seen him blush red and assumed he was a low-blood but his eyes were Equius blue, and he had bright red blood on the waking-self body. "Hey... um John no offense but what exactly are you?"

John hadn't really thought about that much, it confused him. "What are you?" "I'm a troll." "huh." John searched his mind for what he was. Was he a troll? "I really can't remember, I'm sorry Nepeta." John didn't know why he was different, but he wish he knew. "Well consider yourself an honorary troll then!' John smiled. "Ok!" They both laughed. It felt good to laugh again after all this sadness. Even Pounce was still puuuuring against his leg. "So what about those pouncing lessons I've been hearing so much about!"

Nepeta and John worked on his pouncing and leaping ruthlessly until dinnertime. They ate two smoked squirrels that Nepeta had been saving for emergencies, but they were about to go bad. After dinner Nepeta worked John on his lessons until John could barely keep his eyes open. They both stumbled home, tired. They lay in their respective beds, Nepeta thinking of new techniques for teaching John and John trying to remember his past.

They worked like this for a few weeks, working on John's posture, form, leaping, pouncing, and other important survival techniques late into the night, only stopping to eat and sleep. John was exhausted every night as was Nepeta. John awoke one day to see that Nepeta was already up.

"Good sleep I hope?" "Yep, another restful sleep." Nepeta smiled. "Good, then I think you're up for it." "Up for what?" Nepeta showed John the empty cupboard. "Getting us breakfast by yourself. Now be back soon." John widened his eyes, then slowed nodded. "Cool, I guess. Ok! I'll be back soon!" And with that John sped out the front door into the forest, leaving a hopeful Nepeta behind.


	8. The Inevitable Shipping Chapter

John raced out of the door. Finally a chance to redeem myself! He pounced up the nearest tree in three beautiful leaps. I'm just like Nepeta! John listened in the tree for any rustling or murmurs of the forest creatures. Suddenly a familiar squeak came from the north. "Raccoon." John pounced four trees down and stared out across the forest floor. There it was, the raccoon was walking across some leaves right in front of him. "About ten feet." He crouched down, crawling along the branch staying silent. He studied the distance several times, being sure to jump carefully. He slowly slid out his claws and sprang, gliding through the air at a high velocity. He landed on the raccoon, pinning it to the ground. John quickly killed it. "Sorry raccoon, but we have to eat." He picked up the dead raccoon and stuffed in his satchel Nepeta had loaned him. "Only one more to go!"

Nepeta sat next to pounce, stroking his white fur and scratching him behind his ears. "mew Meow purr hiss mew mew!" "Meow meow mew mew hiss!" They were, of course, catching up with each other. With all the training they had stopped having their fun little conversations they usually had all the time. She stared up at her clock. "When will he be back, Pounce? I hope he's ok." "puurr puurrr!" Just then the door swung open, startling Nepeta to her feet. "JOHN!" John looked a bit worn out but otherwise there wasn't a scratch on him. "Let's see what you got!" Nepeta took his satchel off from John's shoulder and opened it up. Inside was a raccoon, a squirrel, and a two mice. "Wow, John! How did you ever get those mice?" John grinned. "I have my ways…" Nepeta laughed. "Ok then, as long as we have breakfast. You didn't make bad time either!"

John and Nepeta ate their breakfast happily, even if pounce had stolen one of the mice. When they were done John stared at the walls of her home. "Hey Nepeta, can I ask you a few questions?" "of course silly!" John got up and went over to a row of drawings. "It seems like I've never had the time to ask you about this, but I've always wondered, whatever is this?" Nepeta stood up joyfully and trotted over to the wall of pictures. "I love to ship my friends, so I made a shipping wall to keep track and also help predict pairings!" "Well… um I suppose the red heart means love, but what about the diamonds, clubs, and spades?" Nepeta looked about to explode with happiness. "YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE QUADRANTS?" "Um… no I guess not, I must have forgotten." Nepeta pointed to the red heart.

"This flushed red heart is Matespritship, it means two trolls have a strong feeling of affection for one another." Nepeta was so happy someone else showed an interest in her ships. "This pale diamond is Moirallegiance, it means your moirail will protect you look out for what's best for you. Trolls who are strong but unstable or those who are weak yet iron-willed, if you lack something basic, a moirail will make up for that lack. Equius is mine!" "This ashen clubs is Auspisticism, an auspistice is a "facilitator" of some sort between two others, mediating interactions between them and keeping their relationship functional." "And finally we have the caliginous spades of Kismesissitude, kismesissitude seems to be based on a mix of hatred and attraction. But I see it as mostly hatred!" Nepeta stood back to see John looking more confused than ever before, his eyes blank and his mouth life-less.

John was so confused. Had he known about this stuff before? John attempted a feeble nod and tried to have a look of understanding on his face. "So you do understand?" "Sort of, I'll figure it out, don't worry." Nepeta grinned wide at him. John could tell that this "shipping" Nepeta did was very important to her. "Would you mind giving me a tour of the wall?" Nepeta suddenly looked a bit uneasy. "Hrm... well sure! It's just that I've never shown anyone my shipping wall before." John pointed to the first drawing on the wall. "That's ok, I won't get mad or anything about anyone. I don't even remember anyone!" "Hm... ok!"

Nepeta had pointed to just about every picture on the wall and told John about her friends when Pounce came over and nudged John's leg. "Hey, Nepeta, I think Pounce wants something." Nepeta turned around from explaining Vriska and Tavros matespriteship to see Pounce nudging and rubbing on John's leg. "hm, I think he's hungry. Aren't ya, Pounce!" Nepeta went into the storage cupboards to find only one stinky old rat in there. "Will you eat this Pounce?" Nepeta held it out in her palm to her lusus. He sniffed it and took the rat with his lower jaw. "Well that's good, hey John are you hungry?" "Actually, no. You?" "Nope!" Nepeta walked back over to John, still next to her paintings. "Thank you for showing me all your ships Nepeta, they were very informative and fun!" "Sure!" "I have a question..." John pointed to one ship where she includes herself and Karkat under matesprites. "Do you like this guy? Karkat was he?" Nepeta suddenly turned very olive. "Um, I uh... Karkat is a good friend of mine. He just doesn't consider me to be serious sometimes."

John frowned. "Really? That doesn't seem nice." "He can be grumpy sometimes. Actually he's always grumpy..." Nepeta frowned a little bit. "He's really awesome and cool though. He just doesn't like me so much." John frowned. "Why would you like someone who is grumpy all the time and doesn't like you? You should like people that are nice to you!" and with that John smiled at Nepeta and went over to pick up the remains of Pounce's rat.

Nepeta stood unmoving, still facing the small pairing of her and Karkitty. Should I like Karkat? He would never like me back. Nepeta looked down and sighed. "Karkat..." She turned around to see John petting a very delighted Pounce. "Hey Nepeta, Pounce seems to really like that rat!" "I think he just likes you, John!" Nepeta's frown disappeared as she stood next to him, petting Pounce as well. "Well what are we going to do today, John?" John looked up and pondered. "well... I haven't seen all the forest, and since you love giving tours maybe you could-" Nepeta dashed off and with a widening grin returned with two pairs of gloves in her left hand and two jackets in her right.


	9. Tenderness

John swiftly put his jacket back on as Nepeta danced anxiously by the door. "Let's go in a loop so we can end up back here at the end, ok Nepeta?" "Of course!" John looked at Pounce De Leon. "What about-" "we'll leave the door a bit open, he can hunt for himself for once!" And with that Nepeta clasped John's hand and walked quickly out the door. John noticed how Nepeta was walking a bit slower than usual. "Letting me breath on this tour are you?" "yep! Also there is no rush, we can take our time." Nepeta stopped, gesturing to the woods in front of them. "I think you know the woods rather well by now, but these are the woods!" Nepeta and John shared a laugh and continued on.

Nepeta took John all around their surroundings. The ocean, the graves, the fields, and the greatest trees. "Hm, it's almost sunrise. Well we're almost to the hive anyway!" They trotted back to the hive, chatting about the various things Pounce could be up to when they reached the cliff. "and here's the cliff, the hive isn't far from here. There's the top of it now!" Nepeta pointed to the bumpy red roof and the trial of rocks leading up to it. "Hey Nepeta, you never showed me that!" Nepeta widened her eyes. "Really? It's so cool! And especially pretty at sunrise!" Nepeta raced over to the rocks and held out a hand.

John and Nepeta climbed up the rocks to the roof. "Wow, that sure is a tricky climb, but the view over the cliff is just-" John stared out over the horizon. The sun hadn't come up yet, but the colors where painting themselves across the sky. A dark starry emptiness was behind them. Soon colors of red, violet, and orange came streaking across the sky. The colors were still dull from the horizon, but the forest below had a warm tint to it. "Nepeta, this is just wonderful. I'm so glad you brought me up here." "Thanks!" Nepeta sat down with her feet hanging over the edge. "Care to join me before the sun comes up?" "Sure." John sat down next to Nepeta and stared off with her into the landscape.

Nepeta had not seen a sunrise this beautiful ever before. It seemed to be taking it's time too, the sun was far behind the colors. Nepeta gazed at the warm colors of the sky and could feel them cloaking her. She then realized that it was actually John, putting his arm around her. Nepeta tried her very hardest not to blush as they continued to look out. "It sure it beautiful up here, Nepeta." "Don't you mean out there silly?" Nepeta pointed out toward the landscape. John turned his head toward Nepeta. "No I mean up here, next to me specifically." Nepeta tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean, John?" John reached over and clasped Nepeta's outstretched hand. "I mean don't you feel a bit flushed? Because I do" Nepeta could feel john staring deeply into her eyes. "What? John you're silly!" Nepeta wasn't sure what John was trying ot get at. "I, I guess what I mean is... Nepeta I think this red sky may be getting to me, but, Nepeta?" Nepeta smiled. "What John?" "Will you be my, my matesprite?"

John stared deeply into Nepeta's playful eyes as she struggled to find the right words. "I, of, of course John!" John couldn't help the huge grin spread across his face. "John, I-" John gently put his finger to her lips, shushing her. He then hugged Nepeta, holding her close. Nepeta hugged him back. John pulled back slightly, still holding her only inches away. "Thank you Nepeta. You're a good friend." "You're a better friend!" With Nepeta's smiling happy face only inches from John's, John blushed, leaned forward, and kissed her. Nepeta, her cheeks now a bright olive green, kissed him back.

Nepeta and John stayed up on the hive roof until the light was beginning to brighten too much. Nepeta then took John's hand and they carefully climbed down the rocks, both in high spirits as they went through the front door. Nepeta checked on Pounce. He was asleep on the floor, his paws over a huge dead badger. "I guess Pounce can look after himself!" Nepeta laughed and turned around to look at John. He was stealing a glance toward her shipping wall. "Hey, Nepeta, are you sure you really like me?" Nepeta walked over to him. "John, you said so yourself. Like people who are nice to you. I like you John." John once again blushed slightly. "Oh, ok I'm sorry Nepeta." "No worries, silly! Anyway we need to get some sleep." Nepeta and John made their way to the respiteblock and, lazily, climbed into their beds and stared at the ceiling.


	10. John has a Surpirse

"Pst! Hey! Nepeta!" John couldn't sleep, he wanted to talk to Nepeta some more. "Hm? What is it?" John rolled over on his bed. "To be honest, I'm not sure why I made a move on the roof Nepeta. Don't get me wrong, I do like you, but I didn't know about those feelings deep down." "I guess I didn't either, John. But the more I think about it the more it makes sense to me. We've been good friends for some time, and honestly you are the person who is the nicest to me." John smiled.

"I'm so sorry that people don't like you so much, Nepeta. I puuromise to be extra nice to you to make up for it!" Nepeta giggled as her heart became warmer at John's words. "Thank you John. And I will always be nice to you!" Nepeta turned over in her Recuperacoon. "Nepeta, ever since my memory left me I've been feeling lost. It's hard to make sense of the world around me sometimes. But when I close my eyes at night and lay in this room next to you I know exactly where I am," Nepeta closed her eyes at his last sentence.

"I sometimes feel alone here, and when the only person I can turn to doesn't allow my greatest need to stay with me it seems like not much matters to me anymore. But when I hear you laugh or when I see your smile I know what matters to me, John. My life is much better now you're in my world" John suddenly felt more devotion for his matesprite. "I can't wait to see your charming face in the morning Nepeta." "Your smile is only a restful sleep away." John closed his eyes and with thoughts of Nepeta floating in his mind began to sleep.

Nepeta awoke sleepily in the recuperacoon after dreaming about her and John playing in the forest all night. "Erm… Mew Mew Mew?" Nepeta, a bit confused by the mewing outside her recuperacoon, sat up. "Meow Rawr Mew Meow?" "Uh… Rawr Mew Mew!" Nepeta felt confused. She suddenly realized that it wasn't Pounce who was speaking to her. Nepeta smiled and grabbed her change of clothes that dropped down. "Meow Mew Mew Hiss Mew Purr Mew Rawr!" Nepeta finished changing and climbed out of the recuperacoon to see John sitting next to Pounce. It almost looked like Pounce was meowing in John's ear. Then Pounce looked at Nepeta and purred on John's shoulder. "Hey wait what comes next, Pounce?" John suddenly looked up and saw Nepeta standing in front of him.

"Silly John!" John, a wee bit embarrassed, stood up straight and looked at Nepeta. "Oh, um hi! Good morning Nepeta!" "I see my lusus did not wake me up, did he teach that to you?" John blushed a little. "Well, I just tried to repeat what he was telling me. It was his idea." John ruffled the top of the silly lusus' head. "Well I think you're still a bit rusty, John." "Why is that?" Nepeta walked over to the corridor. "Well you told me, 'Wake you Nepeta!' and 'Let's go, I have somewhere I want take you!' You're so silly!" John stared back at Nepeta as she left toward the kitchen. "Pounce what where you telling me? Where am I taking Nepeta?" Pounce suddenly grew the two biggest grins on any cat's face and trotted off toward the kitchen.

Nepeta put on her gloves as she saw John coming down the hall. "Just in time! We need some more food for breakfast so I figured you could go gathering and I could get some meat." Nepeta gave Pounce a hug and stood by the door. "Sound good?" "Sure, let's go!" Nepeta looked at John's hands. "Where are your gloves?" "I'm collecting fruits and veggies, I won't need them." Nepeta shook her head. "No no John, ALWAYS have means of protecting yourself. You never know when you might encounter some unsuspecting prey. Or when some prey might encounter an unsuspecting you!" John laughed and went off to gather his gloves.

John pulled his gloves on as Nepeta opened the door and unsheathed her claws. "Be back here once you have enough, okay?" "Ok Nepeta." John closed the door behind him and turned around just in time to see Nepeta's tail disappear in the trees. John walked down the path and looked around the forest. What do we want to have today? John heard the familiar babble of the stream to his right. He decided to gather by the lovely sound and set off to his right.

Nepeta had stayed in her tree and watched John make his choice as to what he would gather. She then saw him smile and go to his left toward the stream. Nepeta leaped from tree to tree until she came to the gleaming stream. It sure is loud! Nepeta peeked out of the branches and saw John quicken his pace as he neared the stream. "He would never hear a sneaky cat climbing above him…" Nepeta whispered as she grinned.

John could now see the stream babbling away at the stones underneath. How pretty! John finished his sprint still looking straight at the stream. "Hm… what's around here to gather?" John took in the full view from where he was standing. He suddenly spotted a few promising looking plants a little ways in front of him. "Perfect!" He started walking over to them when he spotted a very quick shadow creep over him accompanied by a small gust of wind. "Wha-" John fell face first onto the soft soil. John only took three seconds to guess the culprit.

Nepeta was sitting on John's back. How silly he was! "Hey, John!" "Hello Nepeta…" Nepeta rolled off John and lay next to him. John rolled over onto his back next to her. "If I was a big beast you would be nothing but a shrimp right now!" Nepeta laughed a little. "Well you aren't, you're a beautiful troll who is too sweet to make me a shrimp!" Nepeta's chest warmed at John's kind words. "And I would never make a strong cute boy into a shrimp!" John grabbed Nepeta's hand and enclosed his fingers around hers. "You sure are good at sneaking, Nepeta. I could barely hear you until you pounced. I still have some practice to do before I become as great as you." "It's not fair to compare us! I've been doing this for sweeps and you only started recently! And you've been doing very well for a beginner." "Only because I had a good teacher." John put his arms around Nepeta.

"You've been so nice to me, Nepeta." Nepeta looked at him and smiled. "You have been nicer to me than anyone I know, John." Nepeta moved closer to John and planted a soft kiss on his lips. John returned the gesture then returned to holding Nepeta's hand and staring at the sky. "I love you Nepeta." "I love you more John!" John laughed and allowed Nepeta to win the fight. Afterall, he knew he would never win that argument.

Nepeta and John talked a while on the grass and staring up at the sky before realizing that they were still hungry. Nepeta stood up and gently brushed off her jacket and faced John as he finished doing the same. John took her hands in his and stepped toward her. "I'm not very hungry Nepeta. Maybe we could stay together a little longer?" Nepeta shook her head. "Pounce needs food! Anyway we need stock up so we can have more time together anyway!" Suddenly John stared past her. "What is it John?" "Let's go somewhere; I think Pounce can take care of himself!"

John watched as Pounce gestured his tail to the east and smirked with his top mouth as he disappeared in the trees. "Are you sure, John?" "Absolutely! Come with me!" John followed Pounce, hoping his destination would be somewhere of interest and not just some lonely catnip plant. "Where are we going, John?" "You'll see soon enough!" John hoped this was true as he struggled to keep the sneaky lusus in his view as he broke into a sprint. "Is it my turn to be out of breath, John?" Nepeta laughed as they continued through the tangle of trees leading to an unknown destination. Soon John noticed Pounce was not in front of him. "That trickster cat!" John muttered softly under his breath. But soon John could see there was some different terrain up ahead. John heard Nepeta sniffing."I smell something good!" John then smelled the air as he continued toward the opening. It almost smelled like…


	11. The Highest Point in the Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be prepared for cheese. The cheesiest of cheese.

"CATNIP!" Nepeta released John's hand and dove into the massive field of her favorite plant. "OH JOHN HOW DID YOU KNOW?!" Nepeta sat up in the field and stared at John. "I knew you liked a lot of cat-related things and I thought you would like this!" John still seemed unsure of what this place was. "Come on, silly! Join me!" Nepeta grabbed John by his jacket and pulled him down into the field with her. She laughed as John spat on the ground as he accidently bit a leaf. "Not a fan of catnip, John?" "Not really, but it's fine with me since you like it so much!" Nepeta smiled at him and began rolling in the catnip, chewing on a few leaves.

John watched as Nepeta became more and more playful with every bite of the leaves. She kept insisting that he try some. "No, really I'm fine!" John continued to persuade her that he was not really a catnip person, but to no avail. Soon Nepeta had a huge grin on her face that looked like it would stay until the end of time. "Come on John, let's play!" Nepeta pounced on him and tackled him to the ground. "Hey! No fair I wasn't prepared!" Nepeta laughed then went into a crouching position. "Tag." Then she raced out of sight through the catnip, her tail waving in the air as she became out of sight.

Nepeta was making great speed! That catnip sure does the trick. She could barely feel the ground beneath her feet as she pounced through the thick catnip. "Hey, wait up!" Nepeta could hear John a long ways off. She decided to let him have a chance and slowed down a little bit. Soon she could hear his heavy breathing draw closer and closer until… "TAG! HA!" John had nearly fallen over on her when he tagged her and turned around. Nepeta narrowed her eyes and sprinted after the foolish boy. She was making great speed; John was only feet from her reach. But just as she was readying to pounce John made a great leap to the side. This made Nepeta skid forward, turning her head just in time to see John shuffle up a tree. "How clever! But not clever enough to fool arsenicCatnip!" She playfully leaped up the tree to where John was sitting.

John hadn't anticipated Nepeta's reflexes being so quick. How silly of me! "Oh no!" John couldn't escape it as Nepeta touched his ankle, and with a fast "tag" dropped out of the tree. John was ready for her though. He readied his position in the tree and jumped down inches from Nepeta. "TAG!" He yelled as he poked her shoulder. However, Nepeta was too close for John to run away. She put both her arms around him and they fell onto a big patch of catnip together. "I think you win." John was out of breath. "Are you sure? You aren't giving up so easily are you?" "No, it's just that I kinda want to breathe." "Oh." Nepeta loosened her hold on John. "Well ok then. Catch your breath then we really should get something to eat besides all this wonderful catnip."

Nepeta and John lay in the catnip plants for a while. They didn't speak a word to each other, only hearing each other's breathes as they lay side by side. John had caught his breathe quickly, but he didn't want to move away from Nepeta. He never wanted to move from this spot ever again as long as she was there with him. However, eventually John decided he wouldn't be a sloth any longer. He stood up, brushing the catnip leaves off. "Hey! Why would you want all those puurecious leaves off! They make anyone smell their best!" John stopped and decided to leave the rest on. "Well, let's gather some food up and I'll meet you back at the hive in a little while. And no pounces!" Nepeta frowned. "No pounces! How will I ever resist?" She then smirked as she climbed into a tree. "That silly troll." John smiled and set to work scouting out some more edible plants to gather.

Nepeta had just finished killing her last animal when she heard footsteps beneath her. She stuffed the dead squirrel into her hat and watched as John hurried down below. "I promised…" Nepeta looked up and leapt to the next tree, determined to beat John home. She continued pouncing and leaping with great agility until her hive was in full view and the forest began to cut off. She dropped down and noticed that John was only feet behind her. "Nepeta! What great timing, huh?" "It's puurfect!" They walked to the front door together. John opened the door and Nepeta walked in, slinging her hat full of tasty meat off her shoulder. John shut the door behind him and took his bag off him shoulder and put it next to Nepeta. "So what does it look like we are eating tonight, Nepeta?"

John and Nepeta had just finished their second helpings of the squirrel and badger stew when Pounce came into the room. "Pounce! I missed you ol' buddy!" John got out of his seat and pet the wonderful cat on the head. "Have you and Pounce been getting along well recently?" "Yeah, he's a good kitty." John gave Pounce a wink. Pounce responded with two enormous smiles. You sure helped me out today Pounce De Leon. Nepeta was already cleaning up when John came back to his seat. "What time is it?" "Hm… I'd say we have about an hour until sunrise." John took his plate to counter and set it there. "Hey John, do you maybe want to-" "Yeah, I do. Let's go watch the sunrise again."

Nepeta blew Pounce a kiss as John led her out the front door. Another beautiful sunrise to see with my matesprite. I hope it never ends. John held her hand a bit tighter as they climbed up the rocks. "Are you ok?" "I've climbed these rocks more than you have, John!" John got to the roof only a second before Nepeta did. John held out his arm, gesturing toward the edge of the roof "After you!" Nepeta sat down at the edge of the hive's roof, letting her legs dangle off the edge. John followed suit and soon they were once again watching the sunrise together. "John, how long do you plan on staying here?" "I hope to stay here until the end." "I was hoping you'd say that." Nepeta hugged John. "I think my memory is still a bit weird, because it seems like every time I see your eyes I fall in love with you all over again." Nepeta blushed as John finished his sentence. "Thank you John. I can never wait to see you again or hear your kind words. I love you."

John and Nepeta watched as the familiar colors spread themselves across the sky. The warm colors of dawn approached across the horizon. John stared on as the shades of purple and red snaked along the clouds until it became directly overhead. "The sun will be up soon. We best get inside." "Just a little bit longer, please John?" "Ok." John wrapped his arms around Nepeta and watched as the colors danced in her eyes. Nepeta turned her head to the left to see John staring at her. She leaned forward and kissed him. John kissed her back, holding her close. They pulled back and gazed as the first veins of cool colors began to show themselves. "Let's go." Nepeta and John stood up and, still holding hands, made their way down the rocks and to the front door of the hive.

Nepeta lay in her recuperacoon, staring at her red ceiling. Her mind racing faster than it ever had. She had witnessed love and felt love before, but she had never been in love with someone like this in her entire life. It was then that she realized something important. When you love someone, it doesn't mean much. When someone loves you it doesn't mean much. When you love the person who loves you back, it's everything. The greatest thing I've ever learned is just to love and be loved in return. Nepeta finally closed her eyes, and with that note of joy in her heart, found sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never quoted Moulin Rouge I don't know what you're talking about  
> (yes yes I did)


	12. The Turn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to get sad, prepare yourselves

The next morning John awoke Nepeta with some help from a friendly lusus. This time, however, no secret was in store for John regarding translation. "Well what do we want to do today?" Nepeta looked up thoughtfully. "No idea! Let's just wait and see what the world has to offer us!" John and Nepeta walked down the corridor, smiling. "Hey, I think someone wants to talk to me on pesterchum!" Nepeta ran to her laptop and opened it up. She clicked on pesterchum. "It's my meowrail." Nepeta widened her eyes and looked at John. "Well let's talk to him; you don't know what he wants yet."

Nepeta answered Equius. He said he missed her and wanted to visit. Nepeta replied that now wasn't a good time. Equius replied that he was already half-way there, and to expect him soon. Equius logged out of pesterchum. Nepeta stared blankly at her laptop background of her lusus. OH NO. "What did he want Nepeta?" Nepeta turned around in her chair. "He is coming over right now and will be here very soon. Where can we hide you, John?" "Hide me?" John walked over to Nepeta. "Your morail will have to meet me at some point Nepeta, after all we are matesprites!" Nepeta's mouth dropped open.

"What's wrong, I thought we would be together forever?" John continued staring at the shocked Nepeta. "Well, I just think Equius would be really mad at me! I mean, I lied to him!" John sighed. "Nepeta we've been through this, I-" "Equius won't understand! He never will! Quickly we don't have much time!" Nepeta stood up. "So I'm an embarrassment to you? Is that it?" "NO! I only want to let you live with me and still have my meowrail!" "If I'm so important to you then you would make it happen! You would make Equius understand!" Nepeta started developing olive tears. "John! Equius just-" "ENOUGH! I'm staying here to meet your morail!" John was becoming very mad. "John…" Nepeta put her hand on his shoulder. "Please hide. We can talk about this later."

Nepeta gasped as John shrugged her hand off. "FINE! I will leave you here!" John scowled at Nepeta and turned around, just as olive tears streamed down her face. "Wait, John!" John continued to stride angrily toward the door. Just then Nepeta noticed a small white cat appear, that was too small to be Pounce, just inside her door. "How did you get in here?" Nepeta took one step toward the cat as John opened the door. Suddenly the room became very bright. Nepeta put her arms around her eyes and shut them closed. The light faded quickly and as she blinked away the white spots. She noticed the cat was gone. John was gone too. "JOHN!" The door was still swinging from when he opened it. Surely he couldn't have gone so far so quickly? And what happened to that cat? Nepeta walked out of her door and stared out into the forest. Not a single sight or sound of anyone. "John?"

John had flinched as the white light enveloped his skin. He was half-way through opening a door when the light stopped and John found himself on the floor of some room. He shook his head and sat up. Where was he? What had just happened? John stood up and looked around the room. He spied a familiar old bunny on top of a comfy bed. The walls were covered in movie posters. The more you stare at them the more you remember things about them. That one had Nic Cage on it! John smiled and looked around his room. "Was I opening a door?" He looked around. "I don't think so. I must've just slipped and fell and had a short period of amnesia!" John looked around his room some more. "Do I still remember everything? Let's see… my name is John Egbert. My friend's names are Rose, Jade and Dave. My dad likes baking. I like Nic Cage movies. I think everything is remembered well!"

Nepeta rushed outside, calling John's name. "JOHN! I'M SORRY! PLEASE COME BACK!" Nepeta suddenly saw a shadow coming closer toward her from the north. She turned around and saw her morail walking toward her. "Hey Nepeta, why are you outside looking for me? You know I can find my way here easily by now. Let's go inside." Nepeta looked around one last time and walked up the stones to her hive door. She threw it open, hoping to find John still standing there against all odds. Her heart fell lower as she only saw the inside of her hive. "You look sad morail, what have you been up to Nepeta?"

As John saw more of his room his smile became brighter. "It's all coming back to me now!" John eventually plopped down on his bed and decided to talk to his friends. He contacted his best bud first, Dave Strider. Dave was really surprised to hear from him. John asked why, confused. Dave told him that he hadn't been seen for the about the past month. John's mouth hung open. How long had he been out of it? They chatted for a while, John telling him how he remembered walking down the street and didn't remember much until he just recently woke up on his bedroom floor. Dave told him how his dad thought that John had ran away, because no body was ever found. John and Dave decided to talk about it later as John ran down the stairs to alert his dad.

Nepeta and Equius were having a friendly chat in her hive about Nepeta's feelings. She didn't want to let Equius know about what had gone down with John. But still, Equius had a right to know. She could never keep the secret to herself forever. She eventually let it spill that John had stayed at her house for quite some time after Equius told her to make him leave. And that she had lied to him. Equis was frowning and sweating profusely. "You lied to your own morail, Nepeta? How can I trust you! I thought you cared about what I tell you! You know I only look out for you! Is this why you are so sad?" Nepeta, with tears swelling up in her eyes, nodded. "Well maybe this boy can help you feel better!" Nepeta's face went into a state of shock. "E, Equius?" "I might talk to you later, Nepeta, I want to leave now. Don't try to contact me for a while." And with that Equius stood up, turned around, and walked right out of Nepeta's front door.


	13. The Cruel Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some major emotional things going on, including depression and and suicidal thoughts. You have been warned

John had just finished hugging his dad and telling him the few details he remembered when his computer started making loud alert noises, notifying John that his friends were trying to talk to him. John's dad decided to bake a special returning son cake when John ran upstairs to talk to his friends. He opened up pesterchum and decided to talk to Jade first. He let her know everything was going to be ok, and that he was fine. Jade was still hysterical with worry and grief. John continued to talk to her, reassuring his friend that he was ok. Eventually Jade calmed down and they caught up on the latest stories. He then started talking to Rose, telling her that he was fine. Rose was annoyed that he was gone so long, but glad that he finally back. They chatted for a while until John's dad came into the room with a gigantic blue cake in his hands. John tried his very hardest not to scowl with disgust and instead smile and thank his dad.

Nepeta continued to stare at her swinging door long after Equius left. Why. Nepeta' tears were plentiful as she stood up. She looked around her hive. That cat had done something. Something horrible to John. He wasn't here anymore. And with that thought Nepeta collapsed on the floor and curled up in a ball. She hugged herself and closed her eyes. Her matesprite wasn't here with her. He was gone. He wanted to leave anyway. Even if he was still here with her he wanted to leave her. She let out a long hiss and continued to think of the horrible outcomes of the day. Her morail had been betrayed, and he wasn't happy. He was most upset with her and didn't want to talk to her. John was gone, and happy to be gone. She had no one else. Everyone was gone. Even Pounce had left earlier to catch food. She lay curled up on the floor, completely alone.

John looked at the clock. "Hm. Not much time before I have to go to bed." John decided to spend the rest of his night talking to Dave. He fired up pesterchum and starting talking to his cool bro. Dave had a lot to say to John, mostly about his fears about him. He told John about how sad and scared he was, how he never knew he could feel like that for anyone before. John was surprised about how his disappearance had affected his usually nonchalant friend. "Well I'm just glad to be back here!" And with that John said goodnight to Dave and shut off his computer. He got into his warm bed and laid his head against his pillow. He closed his eyes and soon he was somewhere unfamiliar.

Nepeta need out of the hive. There were too many bad memories surrounding her. She stood up, shaking. She stumbled to the door, crying out loud. She blinked more tears down her cheeks as she thought of the perfect spot to cheer up. She ran around her hive and jumped up the rocks leading to her roof. She stumbled onto the top, looking at the sky. The first colors were making their way into her view. She went to her usual spot and sat down. She suddenly realized this was a much worse spot. It didn't feel the same without John. The warmth of his arms around her was lost. Even though she hugged herself, the familiar tingle of his touch did not return. She put her arms back at her sides and stared out into the sunrise. Alone. "Without John here I can finally hear myself think." She laughed, trying her hardest to be happy. She stared out below her feet. "Those trees at the bottom of the cliff always looked so nice. So inviting. Right now they seem more beautiful than anything I've ever seen. How I've longed to see them more up close." Nepeta continued to sit on the Hive's edge as the warm colors of sunrise stretched across the sky. "The scorching sun will be up soon. It's too bad my legs don't feel like moving a single inch." The cooler colors began extending far past the horizon line. Nepeta stood up at the edge of her hive. "That's funny. My feet suddenly feel like moving."

John wasn't sure where he was. He was sleeping, but this wasn't prospit. He seemed to be floating around a kind of bubble. Did I lose my memory again? John looked up and thought carefully. "No, I still remember Dave and Jade and Rose, not to mention my house and everything. I must just be somewhere on prospit that I've never seen before!" Suddenly something caught John's eye. Something white was a long distance from him. "Whatever is that?" John started toward the direction of the white thing. He broke into a sprint as he grew nearer and nearer to it. Soon he saw it was a small white cat. "What is a cat doing here? I've never seen him before!" John continued toward the still cat. The cat suddenly stood up and turned away from John, breaking into a fast sprint. "HEY! WAIT!" John followed the cat for a long time. Soon he saw it was leading him somewhere. He then noticed a small bubble a little ways away from him. The cat was no longer in sight. John crept up to the bubble. He peered in the bubble.

John saw a red house made of rocks on a strange planet. "Wait, why is this familiar?" John leaned in closer to the bubble and watched as a grey skinned person with black hair came running out of the front door to the house. "JOHN!" John froze. How did this weird person know his name? "John?" "JOHN! I'M SORRY! PLEASE COME BACK!" What? What did she do? John noticed another grey skinned person come walking up to the first. They went inside the house together. They stayed in there for a long time. Suddenly the second one came storming out of the door, sweating profusely. He stormed off out of sight. John could hear the muffled sound of crying coming from the inside of the house. What happened? The sounds became louder and louder until the first person came out of the house, olive tears covering her cheeks and her orange eyes puffy. She looks really upset. What did the other person say to her? John continued to watch as the girl sat on top of the roof, watching the sunrise. "Huh, this seems really familiar." Soon the person stood up. John suddenly felt a stone as cold as ice develop in his chest. "Nepeta?" John watched as the girl's feet moved, and John didn't even blink until he could no longer see her. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" John smashed the bubble with his fist and it burst, leaving only himself and the strange, cruel world around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know this happy story ended in a tragic sadstuck, so sorry if you were upset by it. Just know that I will be writing more fanfiction, and my next fanfic will not be sadstuck. Thank you for reading and tune in for some stories with cheerier endings!  
> Reviews are always welcome


	14. The Compassionate Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, about 3 years later seems like a good amount of time as any to add an alternative ending don't ya think? This is ending #2, and can replace the cruel ending if you so please. I was asked in a comment about 2 years ago to do this and yeah it took awhile, but I think this ending is pretty cool too.

John had just finished hugging his dad and telling him the few details he remembered when his computer started making loud alert noises, notifying John that his friends were trying to talk to him. John's dad decided to bake a special returning son cake when John ran upstairs to talk to his friends. He opened up pesterchum and decided to talk to Jade first. He let her know everything was going to be ok, and that he was fine. Jade was still hysterical with worry and grief. John continued to talk to her, reassuring his friend that he was ok. Eventually Jade calmed down and they caught up on the latest stories. He then started talking to Rose, telling her that he was fine. Rose was annoyed that he was gone so long, but glad that he finally back. They chatted for a while until John's dad came into the room with a gigantic blue cake in his hands. John tried his very hardest not to scowl with disgust and instead smile and thank his dad.

Nepeta was still in shock long after her morail had left her hive, her feet stagnant on the floor. What had just happened?? Nepeta kept running her hands meticulously over her face again and again, trying to rub out the olive tears from her raw skin. Nothing seemed to help. She couldn’t bring her body to move to look for John or run after Equius, she could barely bring herself to breath. She sat there in her chair, feeling a cacophony of voices in her head telling her to move, cry, scream… but in the end only the static of her brain won out. She sat there, unmoving, for must have been hours in her lonely wooden chair. Exhaustion took over Nepeta’s brain, and she found herself slowly crawling to the floor, curling up in a tight ball, and finally crying herself to sleep.

John looked at the clock. "Hm. Not much time before I have to go to bed." John decided to spend the rest of his night talking to Dave. He fired up pesterchum and starting talking to his cool bro. Dave had a lot to say to John, mostly about his fears about him. He told John about how sad and scared he was, how he never knew he could feel like that for anyone before. John was surprised about how his disappearance had affected his usually nonchalant friend. "Well I'm just glad to be back here!" And with that John said goodnight to Dave and shut off his computer. He got into his warm bed and laid his head against his pillow. He closed his eyes and soon he was somewhere unfamiliar.

Nepeta woke up, her eyes felt raw and her body ached from laying on the floor. She felt nothing but pity for herself. She had tried to do everything right, but the outcome couldn’t have possibly been worse. She sighed heavily as she sat up, trying not to take in her surroundings. She knew looking around her home would only bring bad memories, she needed to breath, she needed to hear her own voice again. She wearily stumbled out of her hive, holding her stomach as she slammed the front door. She felt like she might be sick with despair, but maybe it was the dehydration. Another long sigh. Nepeta brushed the damp hair out of her eyes, and looked up at the sky. Only a few colors were breaking through the blackness, the beginning of a beautiful day. Nepeta gingerly climbed up the rocks that led to her roof, and felt a tiny triumph when her paws finally touched the top. With an disheartened half-smile, Nepeta sat down in her favorite spot to watch the sunrise, and take her mind off of the events of yesterday. She sniffled back a sob, and tried to settle onto her roof but little things kept bringing her back. John wasn’t here to keep her warm anymore, she only had herself. This spot wasn’t the same without John. She began to silently heave with despair once more, as she hugged herself for warmth. “Being here without John feels wrong” she heard her weak voice say. 

John saw a red house made of rocks on a strange planet. "Wait, why does this seem familiar?" he wondered. John leaned in closer to the bubble and watched as a grey skinned person with black hair came running out of the front door to the house. "JOHN!" John froze. How did this weird person know his name? "John?" "JOHN! I'M SORRY! PLEASE COME BACK!" What? What did she do? John noticed another grey skinned person come walking up to the first. They went inside the house together. They stayed in there for a long time. Suddenly the second one came storming out of the door, sweating profusely. He stormed off out of sight. John could hear the muffled sound of crying coming from the inside of the house. What happened? The sounds became softer and softer until they stopped altogether. Time passed and John saw a girl come stumbling out of the house, head down and body meek. She looks really upset. What did the other person say to her? John continued to watch as the girl sat on top of the roof, watching the sunrise. "Huh, this seems really familiar." Soon the person started to bend inwards, shaking with tears. John suddenly felt a stone as cold as ice develop in his chest. John slowly whispered, "Nepeta?" John watched as the girl squeaked out “Being here without John feels wrong.” John brought his hand to his mouth, he had left Nepeta all alone. She didn’t feel whole without him, she needed him back.

“JOHN, WHERE ARE YOU!” Nepeta screamed from her roof. Nepeta’s heartache had shifted to anger, as she was fully standing on the edge of her roof, hands clenched into fists as she screamed herself hoarse. “JOHN HOW COULD YOU JUST LEAVE! I NEED YOU! I… I…” She paused and looked at her fists, they were white with how hard they were clenched. She noticed they were shaking… her whole body was shaking. “I…” She heard her voice lower as she realized her whole house was shaking as well. She quickly backed away from the edge, falling onto her back as it seemed the ground had turned to liquid. She couldn’t get any footing no matter how hard she tried. She felt the sky burn a sudden white light into her eyes as she screamed in terror. She could feel heat, tremors, and light being thrown in every direction she could think of. Nepeta lost herself in the chaos, and shut her eyes and decided to hold on as long as she could. “HELP!” She tried to scream, but the air around her felt like a void, leaching out any air from her lungs and replacing it with wool. A brilliant blue flash poured into her eyes, too bright to block out with her eyelids. Nepeta finally managed a cry of “JOHN I NEED YOU!” before she felt her consciousness begin to cease.

John had no idea what had taken hold of him. One minute he was happily reunited with his father and his beloved Nic Cage, the next he was bashing on a bubble after following a magic cat to save the girl he loved. He wasn’t sure what power the cat had and, frankly, couldn’t care less. All he knew was that he needed that cat to high tail its way over here and transport John back to where he truly belonged, back to Nepeta. The more he banged and smashed the bubble, the more he seemed to feel lighter. Whether he felt like he might burst out into a fit of laughs or disappear altogether was up for debate. Even within a dream, he began to feel like he was hallucinating as the space around him began to bend. He felt like holding his breath, but air kept pouring into his body as he began to feel even lighter than he thought possible. Colors and light too began to bend around him as he continued to lose all sense of self. Suddenly all the light began to clear, as a small house began to appear before him. As the house grew, John blinked rapidly, hardly believing his eyes. He knew that house. He knew that figure on the roof. As he began to reach out he suddenly saw that same white cat appear before him, between the planes where John currently existed. It acted as if it was about to give a long soliloquy, but thought better of it. Instead, the cat spoke thusly, “John, you are but a stitch in the fabric of this realm. You know what you have to do.” John had no idea what he had to do, he never was able to sew even a dumb bunny, he certainly wasn't a stitch! But John, nethertheless, clueless and all, was hurdled towards his destiny at light speed. 

As much as the white cat had wanted their story to close up nicely, the couple took many (MANY) hours of rest before waking up and discovering each other. It was really rather boring and a few squirrels had come to sniff the unconscious John and Nepeta as the day grew hotter. Apparently bending light and time made one rather sleepy.

It was Nepeta who woke up first, hat blown off and limbs in somewhat of a tangle on the roof. She blearily sat up, and had to immediately hold her head in her hand. What had happened. A horrible feeling came to Nepeta as she remembered when she had felt like this before. John? She thought as she stood up, bones creaking. I need to look at the door, just in case. Nepeta thought, with just a slight feeling of hope. Slightly limping, Nepeta dragged herself to the other edge of her home. Holding her breath, she peered over the edge. Words escaped her in this moment. That blob of a human could be no other. Ignoring the pain (and frankly, the helpful stone path down) she leapt down off the roof to the human’s side. Nepeta hurriedly went to see the man’s face just to be sure. Although it wasn’t the prettiest she’d ever seen him, John’s drool covered face with small squirrel scratches was the nicest thing Nepeta had ever seen. Gently, she reached out to carry him inside where he could wake up safely. Nepeta wrapped her arms around John’s frail body and cradled him in a “bride” position before she was to take him inside to wake up. “You came back.” She said in disbelief, tearing dripping down her face, as she held his sleeping body close to hers.

John suddenly twitched as he felt something cold on his face. He began to reach up and touch it when his ears were suddenly awoken as well. “John?” he heard from above. John opened his fatigued eyes, and saw what he assumed was another dream. How cruel to show me her face again... He thought as he closed his eyes, trying to wake himself up. “John, are you awake? Are you ok?” He dreamily heard from above again. One more nightmare you had to drop in! It’s OVER! He silently scorned. This time a cool hand was carefully placed against his forehead “John?” He heard for the third time. Barely believing what he hoped would be true, John opened his eyes and kept them open. The most beautiful pair of eyes were staring back at him, looking down with fondness and concern. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and her eyes themselves looked harsh and red. Dream or not, I need to wash away the hurt from those eyes. John thought, and wearily replied, “Nepeta?” 

Nepeta brought her love in for the most ginger hug she could muster, as she didn’t want to hurt him further. Nepeta started, “John, I… I can’t believe you’re back. You… have no idea… I just can’t believe-” 

“I know Nep, but also I have no idea. I have no idea how or why this happened.” John muttered out. 

“I don’t really care to know, I just need to get you inside and hold you forever.” Nepeta smiled, as she brought him in for another hug. John smiled at her as she lifted him off the ground. Nepeta carried him into her home, just as she had on the first day she met him. She couldn’t have been more grateful, and frankly nothing else mattered to her at this point. As the door closed, only the sound of laughter was heard from inside the hive, the two matesprites were finally together and had the rest of their lives to figure out what had happened to them in the last 24 hours. And really, who else would they want to figure it out with than with each other?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That is the other ending! Hopefully for all those who felt like they wanted a more uplifting ending this was the ending for you, otherwise comment below! Thank you all so much for reading this, and I hope you all the best <3


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